Night Trap is available from Jim Michael Hansen

Private investigator Ash Wilde (Scroll, Die Pretty, Night Trap) lives in an edgy 1952 world where the dames are dangerous, cigarettes dangle from ruby-red lips and the nights are hotter than whiskey-soaked jazz. In this frantic noir thriller, Wilde finds himself on a dangerous hunt for the person responsible for a string of brutal murders, only to discover that nothing is as it seems and time is running out.

Available exclusively at Kindle here.

Night Laws II is available from Jim Michael Hansen

A year after Nights Laws ends, Night Laws II begins. When a young associate attorney at a prominent law firm is brutally murdered, Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry finds himself swept into the exotic world of Pantage Phair, a beautiful young attorney suffering from memory loss who is desperately trying to piece her past together only to find that the deeper she digs the more she may be the very killer that Coventry is closing in on.

Available at Kindle here.

Where'd I go?

Hey everyone. Looks like I disappeared for a while. No, I didn't die. I'm being published under a pen name now and have been for over two years. Lots of stuff is going on in that parallel world including two upcoming hardcover releases from a NY publisher in the next year, 2 mass-market paperback releases in the next year, a number of audiobook releases within the next year, and lots of other good stuff. So, everything's going great, it's just not being reported on this blog. It's getting reported elsewhere. Chai, and thanks for checking in!

The best 3 minutes of movie ever made

A few of the best songs ever

Concept Covers

Jim's currently working on the third Ash Wilde thriller set in 1952 Denver. Below are a few concept covers.




Cover illustration by Robert J. Kelly.

New Covers for the Laws Books

The covers for the first eight Laws books have been redesigned to bring a greater unity to the series. Hope you like them. These are the covers that will be used on a trial basis on Kindle. Paperback versions of the books will retain their original covers.

Bestselling author Rebecca Forster weighs in on BLOND RUN

BLOND RUN is coming this fall. Here's what USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Forster has to say about it:

"I love the way this man writes! I adore his style. There is something about it that makes me feel as if I'm someplace I'm not suppose to be, seeing things I'm not supposed to see and that is so delicious. He had me on the edge of my seat, chuckling when I least expected it and rooting for every single character. Lots of good stuff in Blond Run."
--Rebecca Forster
USA Today Bestselling Author

Rebecca's highly-acclaimed thrillers include Hostile Witness, Privileged Witness, Silent Witness and Character Witness. Do yourself a favor and check them out.

Die Pretty - A taste

1
Day One
June 11
Monday Night

THE LAST CUSTOMER, a white man, sat at the end of the bar peeling the label off a warm bottle of Coors. A few last swallows were left. Seven empties sat to his right, all with sticky glue where the labels should be. So far he’d paid for each bottle but hadn’t tipped. That’s why Visible Moon let the bottles sit, to remind him. In five minutes the bar would close and she’d find out if the guy was going to stiff her or make things right.
The smart money was on stiff.
Outside the evening was turning to night.
A twilight glow hung in the west. In another few minutes it would morph into that total and absolute blackness that can only be found in the desert.
Tehya would be here to pick her up any time now.
The bar wasn’t much.
It was basically a crude wooden shell out in the middle of nowhere, just off the main road in northern New Mexico, technically on reservation land. The one and only sign was wooden, small and said BAR in red paint—not THE DESERT BAR, or LAST CHANCE BAR, or THE RUNNING DEER BAR—just BAR. The electricity came from a temperamental generator out back. The water—brownish with a hard mineral edge—came from a well.
Visible Moon wiped the bar down with a wet cloth.
She was Navajo, 22 years old, with long black hair braided into a ponytail on each side. Her cheekbones were high, her skin was dark, her eyes were hazel and her teeth were whiter than white. Most of the men who saw her were ugly and drunk and made passes as if she was attractive.
She knew otherwise.
Tehya was the attractive one.
She cast a sideways glance at the white man, braced for trouble and said, “We close in five minutes.”
He turned his head slowly, almost as if being pulled out of a trance, then locked eyes with her.
He pointed to a closed door that led to a back room.
“I’ve heard about that room back there,” he said. “Is what I heard true?”
She knew what he meant.
The room had a mattress.
Sex took place there.
Sex for money.
She wasn’t the one who gave it though.
Tehya was.
“It’s just a storage room,” she said.
“That’s not what I heard.”
“Then you heard wrong.”

SHE CONTINUED WIPING THE BAR.
Underneath it, within grabbing range, was a loaded Colt 45, put there by Mojag the day the bar opened and pulled out three times since but never fired.
The man stared at her for a few intense heartbeats, then put the bottle to his mouth, tilted his head back and drained what was left. He laid the bottle down sideways and spun it. When it stopped, the neck was pointing at Visible Moon.
The man smiled.
“Looks like you’ve been chosen,” he said.
She narrowed her eyes.
“I don’t want any trouble.”
“Me either.”
He pulled a twenty out of his wallet, waved it slowly so Visible Moon could see what it was, then folded it into a paper airplane and tossed it at her. It didn’t fly and dropped to the floor.
“Now is that back room open?”

VISIBLE MOON picked up the money and tossed it back on the counter, apprehensive but not scared. The man was too drunk for speed. She could have the gun out and a bullet in his chest before he knew what was happening.
With Tehya’s help, she’d bury him out in the reservation in some out of the way corner.
No one would ever find him.
“Time to go,” she said.
Suddenly a light flickered outside.
A car was coming down the road, still a ways off, but definitely coming.
Tehya no doubt.
She exhaled.
Then something happened she didn’t expect—the man got off the stool, got his footing and headed for the door. The twenty was still on the counter.
“You forgot your money,” she said.
“Keep it.”
Then he was through the door and gone.

SHE STUFFED THE MONEY in her bra and walked to the window. Outside, the man started his car, backed away from the building and squealed out to the north.
His headlights were off.
Another vehicle was coming from the opposite direction.
The headlights were high and bounced like a truck. The left headlight was weaker than the right. Visible Moon had seen the sight a hundred times.
It was Tehya.
Her vehicle was a 1942 Ford pickup, third hand.
The stars were already coming out.
Hundreds of them.
Off in the distance a coyote barked.
Then another.
Within seconds a whole pack was yelping. Visible Moon pictured a jackrabbit scrambling for ten more seconds of life.
It would be lucky to get five.

2
Day Two
June 12
Tuesday Evening

SHORTLY AFTER DARK Tuesday night, a mean thunderstorm rolled off the ocean and pounded Havana with black, heavy fists. Shade de Laurent watched it for a few heartbeats from the window of her rat-in-the-closet hotel and got comfort from it. Bad weather meant people stayed inside. That in turn meant her chances of being caught were slimmer.
She let the curtain fall back and checked her watch.
Five minutes.
That’s when the taxi would come for her.
She wore nylons, high-heels and a sexy red salsa dress that showcased a 28-year-old body to perfection. The cleavage was just right. The thighs were just right. The ass was just right. Her mocha skin was just right. Visually she could pass for a Cuban.
She knew Havana well.
She knew the streets.
She knew the language.
She knew the haunts.
She had all the right papers—fake, but perfect in every detail.
Still, even with all that, there was always a risk.
The risk never went away.
Right now it was under her skin, in her lungs and in the quiver of her fingertips.
Headlights flashed against the window.
She took one last look in the mirror.
Her face was nice.
Her eyes were mysterious.
Her hair was long, black and thick.
A horn honked.
She blew herself a kiss and grabbed her purse. Inside was makeup, a thick sealed envelope, a wallet and a six-inch folding knife with a razor sharp serrated edge.
She flicked off the lights and headed outside.

TWENTY MINUTES LATER a cabbie with a gold tooth dropped her off at Throb, a whiskey-soaked salsa club in the center of Havana with a reputation for attitude. She had been there once, two years ago, and ended up leaving with a man who fucked her silly for two straight days.
Inside, the bodies were thick.
The band was loud.
The dance floor was sardine tight.
The air was smoky.
She wedged through the bodies to the bar, ordered a double-whiskey on the rocks and threw it back. The bartender, impressed, poured her another and said, “On the house.”
He wasn’t half-bad looking.
She grabbed him by the collar, pulled him close and licked the side of his face.
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. What’s your name?”
“Trouble,” she said.
He smiled.
“In that case, I think I’ve met you before.”
“I’ll bet you have.”

SHE ENDED UP HUGGING THE WALL and watching the dancers. No one had approached her yet but her perfume was in the air and eyes studied her.
She’d dance with the first man who asked her.
It didn’t take long.
He was tall, dark and dangerous.
He moved with a manly cockiness and let his hands roam freely with the beat. She didn’t stop him. In another time and place he would have been a serious consideration for more, much more, but not tonight.
Tonight was a business night.
She stayed with him for a half-hour, checking her watch with more and more frequency. At exactly 10:13 she said, “Excuse me,” and headed for the ladies room.
“Hurry back, baby. I have big plans for you.”
She blew him a kiss and disappeared into the crowd.
Game time.

NO ONE WAS INSIDE the restroom. Shade entered the left stall, shut the door, pulled her dress up and her panties down, then took a long piss. Before she was done, someone entered the adjacent stall and shut the door. Almost immediately, knuckles rapped on the wall and a woman said, “I’m sorry, but do you have any paper in there?”
Shade slipped the envelope under the partition.
“Is that enough?”
“Yes, thank you.”
A small packaged got passed her way.
She stuffed it in her purse.
There.
Done deal.
Then something happened she didn’t expect. The woman said, “Can you pass a little more?”
Shade swallowed.
That was code.
It meant something was wrong.
It meant to take every precaution.
She passed toilet paper under the wall, flushed and left.

OUTSIDE she was tempted to hang around and see who came out.
Then she shook her head.
“No.”
That was against the rules.
Rules were everything.
There were there for a reason.
Suddenly arms wrapped around her abdomen from behind and strong hands cupped her stomach. Lips nibbled the back of her neck. She knew who they belonged to, the dangerous man, the dancer.
He’d be a good protector.
She’d leave with him.
Right now.
This minute.
She turned and raised her lips to kiss him.

IT WASN’T HIM.
It was someone else.
It was someone she’d never seen before, a muscular man with a bad-boy face and a crisp white shirt with the top three buttons undone.
He pricked the point of a knife into her side and said, “Don’t do anything stupid.”

Bad Laws

The tenth Bryson Coventry thiller, Bad Laws, will be released in paperback on September 15, 2011. In the interim, readers will get a taste of two new series, Blond Run (9/15/10) featuring SF detective Trane Ravenwood, and Kill Me Friday (3/15/2011), a pulp noir series set in 1952, featuring Ash Coventry PI.

Signing 4/10/10 at BN (Colorado Springs)

Please visit Jim for a signing of Wild Laws:

Saturday, April 10, 2010.
1-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 795 Citadel Drive East, Colorado Springs, CO 80909; (719) 637-8282

Die Pretty

Jim Michael Hansen is in the planning stages of the second Ash Coventry thriller, Die Pretty, which will be released in paperback in September 2011.

Back Cover Copy: Ash Coventry, Denver investigator for hire, lives in a 1952 world where the dames are dangerous, cigarettes dangle from ruby-red lips and the nights are hotter than Havana asphalt. In this electrifying pulp noir thriller from Jim Michael Hansen, Die Pretty, Coventry is pulled into a deadly case that starts with the abduction of a young Navajo woman but soon spirals into a high-stakes international thriller of unimaginable scope.

LIBRARY JOURNAL weighs in on WILD LAWS

WILD LAWS comes out March 15, 2010. Library Journal weighs in with the following review:

Hansen, Jim Michael. Wild Laws: A Bryson Conventry Thriller. Thriller Publishing Group. Mar. 2010. 432p. ISBN 978-0-9819993-1-9. pap. $13.95. F

Hansen’s ninth entry in the "Laws" books (after Ancient Laws) can be read as a stand-alone thriller or as part of the overall series. The common thread is Bryson Coventry, a reckless, fast-thinking Denver police detective who follows the trail of a serial killer from Denver to Tokyo. Having witnessed the carnage of the Denver killings, he leaves for Japan on an unsanctioned pursuit. As Coventry draws closer to the killer, more victims are discovered, and the pattern of a twisted murderer revealed. Drawn into the intrigue is a cast of provocative characters who move in and out of Tokyo’s gritty underworld.
Verdict This fast-paced book offers fans of commercial thrillers a twisty, action-packed thrill ride.—Ron Samul, New London, CT

Many thanks to LJ and Ron Samul for taking a peek at this book!

Sexy Little Thing

SEXY LITTLE THING is now available at Kindle, here.

Back Cover Copy: San Francisco homicide detective Trane Ravenwood has always lived on the edge. He discovers just how easy it is to fall off that edge in Jim Michael Hansen's electrifying new thriller, Sexy Little Thing. While searching for a friend who has abruptly vanished in Bangkok, Ravenwood wanders into the city's seedy, lust-drunk Soi Cowboy district on a steamy neon night. There he encounters a sexy little thing. What happens next sends him spiraling into a deadly thriller set in the underbelly of a twisting foreign land.

International Thriller Writers Interview on Wild Laws

John Darrin, the highly-acclaimed author of Screen Shot, recently interviewed Jim Micheal Hansen to get the behind-the-scenes scoop on Wild Laws, which comes out March 15, 2010. The interview was for International Thriller Writers and can be found here. Thanks John and ITW!

Jim on LIVE WITH REGIS & KELLY

On Monday, February 22, 2010, Jim was on LIVE WITH REGIS & KELLY, in conenection with their hilarious episode, AMBUSH MAKEOVERS. Great fun.

Jim on Channel 12 TV

Please join Jim for thirty minutes of free-style banter on Mike Zinna's acclaimed TV talk show, "Tough Love," which will be aired on KBDI Channel 12 TV (Denver), Friday, February 19, 2010, 9:00-9:30 p.m. We talk about books, writing, law, politics, Rita's nickname, muppet lovers from Ireland and much, much more.





Many thanks to Mike (above) for putting up with me and letting me say stupid things. Also, special thanks to "Hurricane" Rita Bertolli, Executive Producer, for all her hard work and her big smiles from behind the glass.



UPDATE 2/20/10: If you missed the show on TV, you can see it in full here. Want to see an outtake?

BOOKLIST weighs in on WILD LAWS

WILD LAWS will be released on March 15, 2010. BOOKLIST's February 1, 2010 issue had this to say about it:

Issue: February 1, 2010
Wild Laws.
Hansen, Jim Michael (Author)
Mar 2010. 423 p. Thriller, paperback, $13.95. (9780981999319).

Bryson Coventry never follows orders, but this time it might cost him his job as a Denver homicide detective. Unsolved murders prey at Coventry’s psyche, and when an on-the-loose killer taunts him with plans for his next kill, Coventry has do so something, especially since he ignored the first warning with dire consequences. His unlicensed pursuit of the killer takes Coventry across three continents and, as series fans have come to expect, into the arms of numerous exotic women along the way. How can one Colorado detective track down a vicious murderer among tens of millions of people in Tokyo? It’s easy, when Coventry makes himself the target. Left back home to worry about him is his protegé, the lovely Shalifa Netherwood, and though Coventry hasn’t given in to the temptation to sleep with her (yet), the sexual tension between the two mounts to a fevered pitch. Hansen writes in an over-the-top, near-campy style, but he has fun with it, and readers who go along for the wild ride will, too.

— Mary Frances Wilkens

FOREWORD REVIEWS weighs in on WILD LAWS

WILD LAWS comes out March 15, 2010. Much appreciation goes out to ForeWord Reviews which will run the following review in the March issue of its renowned magazine:

"Wild Laws is the ninth thriller in Jim Michael Hansen’s acclaimed Laws series, featuring Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry. Each book stands alone, so they can be read in any order. In this offering, Coventry tangles with a diabolical killer who, after ritualistically torturing victims to death in Paris, Johannesburg, and Denver, now heads to Tokyo to commit more atrocities. He taunts Coventry with an e-mail, inviting him to follow.
How can our hero find one man in a foreign city of ten million? Simple: he agrees to fly to Tokyo, but only if the murderer promises to try to kill him once he arrives. Acting contrary to orders from his boss, unsanctioned by the Japanese authorities, Coventry risks his career and his life to solve the mystery and stop the murderer before he can strike again. Thus begins a wild ride where the fates of Kinjo, an antiquities trader; Arai, an up-and-coming musician; Teja, a model; and Rio, her long lost sister; are intertwined with that of homicide detectives Serengeti, Joost, and Coventry as they seek to unmask the murderer. To make matters worse, Coventry falls for Sin, a lovely flight attendant, and their relationship brings her to the killer’s attention.
Hansen is a civil attorney and prolific author. His experience shines as he weaves a complex story that nevertheless rivets reader’s attention, until the final pages where the enigmatic truth is finally revealed. The only downside is the author’s reliance on a rhythm-break technique where he pens a regular-length paragraph followed by three or four single-sentence sections. It’s a common enough method for writers to add emphasis to certain aspects of their stories, yet he overuses it to the point where you want to reach through the book and strangle him.
It’s annoying.
Very, very annoying.
But forgivable.
Because the story really is that good.
Wild Laws is creative and captivating. It features bold characters, witty dialogue, exotic locations, and non-stop action. The pacing is spot-on, a solid combination of intrigue, suspense, and eroticism. A first-rate thriller, this book is damnably hard to put down. It’s a tremendous read." (March) Lawrence Kane

Genre Go Round likes WILD LAWS

Many thanks to Harriet Klausner at Genre Go Round for weighing in with the following review of Wild Laws, which comes out March 15, 2010:

"Thirty-four year old Bryson Coventry, Chief of Denver Police Department Homicide Unit, has a photo of schoolteacher Paige Lake who brutally died two years ago. Last year he received an email that stated Johannesburg was next; he called South African police, but Jewel Brand was murdered. Apparently before Denver there was Paris and now next week Tokyo.

Unable to stay out of it, Bryson replies to the email that states Tokyo next by offering himself as the victim. He flies to Japan though his DPD boss Tanner fires him. In Tokyo local authorities warn him to stay out of it, but he refuses to do so. As the former cop tries to prevent the next murder, he and Sin whom he met on the flight over, are caught in a deadly convoluted ploy that is not just on four continents, but dates back to a previous century.

The Bryson Coventry saga has been one of the best police procedural series for several years, but this is the best to date as the complexity is incredible with multiple subplots that tie together in ways the reader will be stunned. After overseas in Hong Kong Laws, Paris in Ancient Laws, and Bangkok Laws; readers will wonder about cases in Denver, but Jim Hansen easily sends his hero overseas again with a great thriller as Bryson quits the force, offers himself up as the victim and his only respite is Sinning. Filled with twists including a late spin that Bryson failed to see coming, fans will relish this terrific entry with a strong cast as WHERE is Tokyo and WHEN is next week; meaning the clock is ticking on Coventry." -- Harriet Klausner, Genre Go Round

New Mystery Reader Magazine weighs in on ANCIENT LAWS

Many thanks to reviewer/author Anne K. Edwards of New Mystery Reader Magazine for weighing in on Ancient Laws with the following review:

"Another winner! For thriller and dark mystery fans, talented author Jim Michael Hansen has produced a story you won’t be able to put down until you turn that last page.

A weird murder takes Bryson Coventry to Paris to see if their weird murder is the work of the same killer. He meets French detective named Fallon Le Rue and falls head over heels into lust once again.

Together they chase down clues to a killer who looks like a caveman. One such man is a lawyer who turns up to convince them of his innocence. Another is a D.J., and a third is a cabdriver and sometime hitman. The fourth is an archaeologist. Will one of them be the killer Coventry seeks? The question is which one.

Added complications deepen the mystery in the guise of two women, Jade and Alexandra, who work together to find a lost pharaoh’s treasure and the man who murdered Jade’s uncle for information to the treasure.

Are the two cases related? How? What do they have in common besides a certain killer?

An exciting tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat as vipers make attacks on visitors to their valley, an airplane goes into the river, and a thousand thrills that will permanently fix goosebumps to your skin.

A well told tale with a masterful blend of intrigue, murder, greed, lust, and that little touch of horror will keep you reading."

Kill Me Friday - Introducing Ash Coventry, P.I.

Before Bryson there was Chase and before him there was Ash.

Jim Michael Hansen will be introducing a new noir series featuring private investigator Ash Coventry. Set in 1952 Denver, there will be five to ten books in the series. The first, KILL ME FRIDAY, will be released on October 15, 2010.

Back Cover Copy: Private investigator Ash Coventry lives in a world where the dames are dangerous, cigarettes dangle from ruby-red lips and the nights are hotter than Havana asphalt. In this debut thriller from Jim Michael Hansen’s riveting noir series, Coventry finds himself spiraling into a string of murders that have more twists, desperate moves and hard edges than whiskey-soaked jazz. In a world where nothing is black and white, one thing is certain: some people are destined to be murdered. Some even know that it will happen on Friday.

The second book in the series is tentatively titled TWICE THIS TIME:



I'd be happy to tell you what it's about, if I had even the faintest clue. What I intend to do when the time comes is start with the title and the cover and built the book from there.

COVER ART

Now, here's the exciting part. In true period style, the covers for this new series will feature the paintings of Robert A. Maguire. In the course of his long and illustrious career, renowned illustrator/painter Robert A. Maguire created gorgeous cover images for more than a thousand books and worked for virtually every mainstream publisher in the U.S. Best known for his incomparably sexy "femme fatale" images for pulp paperbacks in the 1950s and 1960s, Maguire built a long and legendary career showcasing character portraits that were sensually compelling. If you are unfamiliar with his incredible talents, check out his website or the new book about him, "Dames, Dolls & Gun Molls."

Above cover paintings (c) Robert A. Maguire and/or assignee. All rights reserved. No reprints or copying permitted.

Jim signs at BN (Loveland--Shops at Centerra) on Saturday, 12/19/09

Jim Michael Hansen will be holding a number of author events to sign Ancient Laws, and all the other Laws thrillers, this quarter. The next signing is:

Saturday, December 19, 2009.
1-4, Barnes & Noble, 5835 Sky Pond Drive, Loveland, CO 80537; (970)663-9473.

Please stop by and say hello.

More book reviewers take a look at Ancient Laws.

Jim is very grateful for all the reviewers who have taken a peek at Ancient Laws over the past couple of months. Here are a couple of the more recent reviews. The first up is from a fantastic organization called Mysterious Reviews:


"Homicide detective Bryson Coventry travels to Paris, where a woman has been killed in a manner similar to that in one of his unsolved murder cases in Denver, in Ancient Laws, the eighth mystery in this series by Jim Michael Hansen.

The case is personal to Coventry, as he had inadvertently revealed the name of a witness to the crime, a woman that has since gone into hiding. Imagine his surprise, and horror, when, arriving in Paris, he discovers the dead woman is the witness, who was living in the city under an assumed name. He teams up with a French detective, Fallon Le Rue, with whom he establishes an instant, call it "rapport", and together they are determined to catch this killer, even if it means using Fallon as bait.

As is typical of this series, the author not only alternates chapters between three points of view, but also creates three storylines that eventually converge. The second point of view and storyline involves the murder of an archeologist, Remy Lafayette. A mysterious woman who knew Remy in Egypt, Alexandra Reed, believes he was murdered by someone looking for a map -- a map to ancient treasure. When Lafayette's niece, Jade, finds her apartment ransacked, she teams up with Alexandra to find the map and, in doing so, to identify Remy's killer.

The third point of view is that of a private investigator, Marcel Durand, hired by a wealthy shipbuilder, Nicholas Ringer, to help Jade find her uncle's killer.

This all has the potential to be confusing but the author handles it reasonably well, keeping the chapters relatively short and to the point, moving the various subplots forward at a brisk pace, even giving the characters a change of scenery by moving the action from Paris to Egypt. At times improbable and superficial, and maybe featuring just a few too many snakes (a metaphor, possibly?), it's all finally linked together in a logical, reasonable manner.

But the book ends on a somewhat ominous note. With Ancient Laws the author seems to be signaling a change, possibly a significant change, to the future direction of the series. The premise for Coventry being in France in the first place is tenuous, and how he spends his time there (at the expense of Denver taxpayers) is rather disturbing, being more interested in, and spending more time lusting after, his French colleague than his stated purpose of pursuing a killer. Though the ending is ever so slightly ambiguous in this regard, it's possible that in the next book in this series (already announced to be Hong Kong Laws), Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry may not be a Denver homicide detective any more ... a potentially disappointing development for readers. It will be interesting to see how this plays out."

The second review is from another review staple, Genre Go Around:

"In Denver almost one year has passed since twenty-two years old waitress Amanda Peterson was murdered. The killer ripped out the victim’s eyes and put them backwards into the sockets. The case has gone cold in Colorado but now a second dead female with the same gruesome ritual has surfaced in Paris. Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry flies to Paris to share what he knows with local authorities in an attempt to prevent further killings.

In Paris, Bryson meets his contact Detective Fallon La Rue and feels he is in love at first sight. However, seeing the corpse of the second person stuns him when Margaux Simon turns out to be Tracy White; she saw the killer in Denver and when Bryson mistakenly gave her name to the killer after being tricked, vanished. He further explains to Fallon that he took a bullet in the stomach trying to keep Tracy safe, but obviously failed. They work together employing his ruse of using a doctored version of the drawing of the killer as provided by Tracy last year, but this time Fallon is the bait. However, neither cross oceanic cop is prepared to the twists they face to solve this case.

The latest Laws police procedural is an extremely complex tale with multiple story lines that cleverly interact and twist. Fallon brings a special freshness that will have fans saying oui oui for more appearances by her and Bryson is his usual terrific self. However, it is the complicated whodunit that grips readers throughout as nothing is quite like it seems."

FRANTIC LAWS - Jim's current WIP

In 31 BC Cleopatra was the reigning pharaoh of Egypt. With Mark Antony at her side, she prepared for an impending Roman attack on Alexandria. Determined that the riches of her empire not fall into enemy hands, she assembled a small group of trusted men and embarked upon a secret and dangerous mission up the Nile where she buried her riches in several different locations. Upon her return to Alexandria, using hammer and chisel, she scribed the locations of the sites on a scroll made of gold. While the directions and measurements from five starting points were given, the locations of the starting points themselves were not identified or described on the scroll. She buried the scroll in a safe location known only to herself and her children, ages ten and six. Soon thereafter, Alexandria fell and both she and Antony were forced into suicide. Her children were spared and taken to Rome.

The scroll lay dormant and hidden from the world for more than two millennium. Eight days ago it surfaced. Only six people in the world know it exists. Three of them are already dead.

In Frantic Laws, Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry finds himself spiraling into a deadly vortex that started with Cleopatra’s desperate secrets more than 2,000 years ago.

Frantic Laws is Jim's current work in progress and is scheduled for completion in the 2nd quarter of 2010. Watch for this amazing thriller on Kindle and Nook in 2010 and paperback in 2011.

Did you know that all of Jim's books are available on Kindle for amazing prices?

It started with Night Laws in March 2006, but Byson Coventry has managed to get into more adventures since then than the law allows. Also, he's been joined by a new protagonist, Trane Ravenwood. For a list of all the Jim Michael Hansen thrillers currently available on Kindle at unbelievable prices, go here and be amazed. Happy reading.

Also, for all you BN customers who have purchased the incredible new Nook, don't despair. All Jim's thrillers are coming to BN's eBook store in early 2010.

Jim Michael Hansen's HARD RUN is available at Kindle!

Jim Michael Hansen's stunning new thriller, HARD RUN, is available right now on Kindle, here. It will also be released in paperback in late 2010 or early 2011.

HARD RUN is the first book in Jim Michael Hansen's new "RUN" series featuring San Francisco homicide detective Trane Ravenwood. Readers who have come to expect a frantic, whiplashed adventure from Jim Michael Hansen will not be disappointed.

Hard Run
ISBN 13: 9780981999371
ISBN 10: 0981999379
Thriller Publishing Group, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2010 by Jim Michael Hansen
Trade Paperback Original
Publication Date TBD
370 pages
$13.95 (Paperback)
Thriller/Detective/Mystery/Suspense
Distribution: Baker & Taylor, Brodarts, Bookhouse, Blackwells, Folletts, etc.

Back cover copy: San Francisco homicide detective Trane Ravenwood has always lived on the edge. He discovers just how easy it is to fall off that edge in Jim Michael Hansen's electrifying new thriller, Hard Run.

While searching for a friend who has mysteriously vanished in Bangkok, Ravenwood finds his life spiraling into the same deadly vortex that is claiming Prarie Nixx, a Paris woman in the throes of a desperate run with an ancient journal.

Jim Michael Hansen's HONG KONG LAWS is available at Kindle.

Jim Michael Hansen's 10th Bryson Coventry thriller, Hong Kong Laws, won't be released in paperback until September 15, 2010. However, for a limited time you can get a sneak preview copy here, right now, at Amazon Kindle.

Back Cover Copy: Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry hunts the streets of Hong Kong for a killer who has targeted a mysterious woman for death. As the chase pulls him into a deadly international vortex much more terrifying and complex than simple murder, he soon discovers that every obsession comes with a price.

Jim Michael Hansen's BLOND RUN is available at Kindle.

Blond Run is available now at Kindle, here.

Blond Run is the second book in Jim Michael Hansen's new "RUN" series featuring San Francisco homicide detective Trane Ravenwood. The run books can be read in any order as they are indepdent of one another.

Blond Run

ISBN 13: 9780981999395
ISBN 10: 0981999395
Thriller Publishing Group, Inc.
Copyright (c) 2010 by Jim Michael Hansen
Trade Paperback Original
Date TBD
406 pages
$13.95 USA
Thriller/Detective/Mystery/Suspense
Distribution: Baker & Taylor, Brodarts, Bookhouse, Blackwells, Folletts, etc.

Back cover copy: San Francisco homicide detective Trane Ravenwood thought he knew how to catch killers. He discovers just how wrong he was in Jim Michael Hansen’s riveting new thriller, Blond Run.

While frantically hunting an elusive killer who is poised to take the next victim by the end of the week, Ravenwood witnesses an unrelated murder from a place he shouldn’t be. Almost immediately, he is pulled into the edgy world of Trance St. Croix, a beautiful attorney who is too mysterious to trust and too hypnotic to resist.

Get Your Bryson Coventry "Collections" at Kindle!

For the first time ever, the "Laws" books are available in multi-book sets. Collection 1 includes Night Laws, Shadow Laws and Fatal Laws. Collection 2 includes Deadly Laws, Bangkok Laws and Immortal Laws. Collection 3 includes Voodoo Laws, Ancient Laws and Wild Laws. All books in the collections collections are complete and unabridged.

For right now, this is a Kindle exclusive, priced at only $9.95 per set. Limited time only. Not available in paperback.

SPECIAL OFFER: Anyone who buys a Collection is free to click on the Beatles song below. It might very well be the best Beatles song you never heard.

Jim Michael Hansen's ANCIENT LAWS Interview is at International Thriller Writers

Liz Jensen, the highly-acclaimed author of The Rapture, recently interviewed Jim Michael Hansen to get the behind-the-scenes scoop on Ancient Laws, which comes out September 15, 2009. The interview was for International Thriller Writers and can be found here.

Liz Jensen is the author of six previous novels, including the acclaimed THE NINTH LIFE OF LOUIS DRAX, and ARK BABY, a New York Times Notable Book. Her work has been nominated three times for The Orange Prize and has been translated into more than 20 languages. THE RAPTURE is currently in development as a major motion picture.

BLOND RUN - The Soundtrack

In the book recently finished by Jim Michael Hansen--BLOND RUN, feauting San Francisco homicide detective Trane Ravenwood--a song is playing on the radio during a memorable scene. It's called "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream" by My Morning Jacket. Here's what it sounds like, in case you never heard it.

Jim Michael Hansen - Book Signing Schedule for Ancient Laws

Ancient Laws will be released on September 15, 2009. It is the 8th thriller in the Laws series and the first one set totally outside Denver--in Paris, Cairo and Luxor. It also introduces Paris detective Fallon Le Rue, who will branch out into her own series.

Laws readers who have come to expect a white-knuckle, hold-on-tight thriller from start to finish will be blown away by this book. Bryson Coventry is at his absolute best. Everyone who has read an advance copy says its the best book yet.

Back Cover Copy: Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry tracks a killer to Paris, expecting a dangerous but straightforward hunt. What he doesn’t foresee is that he and a beautiful French detective would be pulled into a deadly game—a game that would stretch from Paris to Cairo to the Valley of the Kings; a game rooted in ancient tombs, archeological murders and lost treasures; a game that started thousands of years ago but is not over yet.

Jim Michael Hansen will be signing Ancient Laws, and all the other Laws books, in November-December, 2009. Please stop by and say hello! This schedule will be periodically updated as additional venues are booked, so check back. Colorado gets snowstorms, so you may want to call if the weather is dicey.

Saturday, October 24, 2009.
1-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 795 Citadel Drive East, Colorado Springs, CO 80909; (719) 637-8282

Saturday, October 31, 2009.
1-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 1565 Briargate, Colorado Springs, CO 80910; (719) 266-9960.

Saturday, November 7, 2009.
TBA

Saturday, November 14, 2009.
1-4 p.m., Borders, 2863 35th Avenue, Greeley,CO 80634; (970) 506-9692.

Black Friday, November 27, 2009.
1-4 p.m., Borders (Colorado Mills Mall), 14500 W. Colfax Avenue, Lakewood, CO 80401; (303) 277-9101.

Saturday, November 28, 2009.
10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Borders (Colorado Mills Mall), 14500 W. Colfax Avenue, Lakewood, CO 80401; (303) 277-9101.

Saturday, November 28, 2009.
1-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 9370 Sheridan Boulevard, Westminster, CO 80030; (303) 426-7733.

Saturday, November 28, 2009.
1-4 p.m., Borders (Colorado Mills Mall), 14500 W. Colfax Avenue, Lakewood, CO 80401; (303) 277-9101.

Saturday, December 5, 2009.
TBA

Saturday, December 12, 2009.
1-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble (Southlands), 6300 Main Street, Aurora, CO 8006; (303) 766-3069 (E-470 and Smoky Hills Road)

Saturday, December 19, 2009.
61-4, Barnes & Noblem, 5835 Sky Pond Drive, Loveland, CO 80537; (970)663-9473.

Sunday, December 20, 2009.
TBA

Looking for a Spanish Translator

Jim Michael Hansen's books are coming in spanish and we are looking for a translator to help make that happen. If you have the ability to translate a novel into spanish and would like to be considered for this project, please contact me at JimMichaelHansen@Yahoo.com.

VOODOO LAWS Signing Schedule - 2009

Jim Michael Hansen will be signing VOODOO LAWS and all the other LAWS thrillers as scheduled below. Please stop in and get a personally autographed copy of your favorite LAWS book. [This post will be updated as additional venues are booked].

Saturday, March 14, 2009.
1-4 p.m., Borders, Colorado Mills Mall, 14500 W. Colfax Ave., Lakewood, CO 80401; (303) 277-9101.

Saturday, March 28, 2009.
1-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 9370 Sheridan Boulevard, Westminster, CO 80030; (303) 426-7733.

Saturday, April 4, 2009
1-4 p.m., Borders, 2863 35th Avenue, Greeley, CO 80634; (970) 506-9692.

Sunday, April 5, 2009
1-4 p.m., Borders, Colorado Mills Mall, 14500 W. Colfax Ave., Lakewood, CO 80401; (303) 277-9101.

Saturday, April 11, 2009.
1-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 1565 Briargate, Colorado Springs, CO 80920; (719) 266-9945.

Saturday, April 18, 2009.
1-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble, The Prominade Shops at Centerra, 5835 Sky Pond Drive, Loveland, CO 80537; (970) 663-9473.

Saturday, April 25, 2009
1-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 795 Citadel Drive East, Colorado Springs, CO 80909; (719) 637-8282

Saturday, May 2, 2009
1-4 p.m., Borders, 2863 35th Avenue, Greeley, CO 80634; (970) 506-9692.

Saturday, May 9, 2009.
1-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 960 S. Colorado Blvd., Glendale, CO 80246; (303) 691-2998

Saturday, May 23, 2009.
1-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 6300 Main Street, Aurora, CO 80016; (303) 766-3069.

Jim Michael Hansen's "Voodoo Laws" Interview is at International Thriller Writers

Mario Acevedo, the highly-acclaimed author of Jailbait Zombie, recently interviewed Jim Michael Hansen to get the behind-the-scenes scoop on Voodoo Laws, which comes out March 15, 2009. The interview was for International Thriller Writers and can be found here.

Deadly Laws Book Trailer

Wondering what Deadly Laws is about? Here's the book trailer ...



Scroll down to find book trailers on Bangkok Laws, Immortal Laws, Voodoo Laws, Ancient Laws and Hong Kong Laws.

Upcoming: Book trailers on Night Laws, Shadow Laws, Fatal Laws and Relic Laws. Stay tuned.

Bangkok Laws Book Trailer

Immortal Laws Book Trailer

Voodoo Laws Book Trailer (Rock Version) NEW!

Ancient Laws Book Trailer

Author Signings for Immortal Laws (2008)

Jim Michael Hansen will be holding a number of author signings during the last quarter of 2008 to launch Immortal Laws, the 6th Laws thriller which comes out September 15, 2008. Please stop by and say hello! Many thanks to BN and Borders for hosting me!

NOTE: You may want to call the store the morning of the event to confirm. Sometimes signings get interrupted by unexpected circumstances.

Saturday, October 18, 2008.
1-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 6300 Main Street (E-470 & Smokey Hill Road), Aurora, CO 80016; (303) 766-3069.

Saturday, October 25, 2008.
1-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 5835 Sky Pond Drive, Loveland, CO 80537; (970) 663-9473 (The Promenade Shops at Centerra)

Saturday, November 1, 2008.
1-4 p.m., Borders, Colorado Mills Mall, 14500 W. Colfax Ave., Lakewood, CO 80401; (303) 277-9101

Saturday, November 8, 2008.
1-4 p.m., Borders, 2863 35th Avenue, Greeley, CO 80634; (970) 506-9692

Saturday, November 15, 2008.
1-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 960 Colorado Boulevard, Glendale, CO.

Saturday, November 22, 2008.
1-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 795 Citadel Drive East, Colorado Springs, CO 80909; (719) 637-8282.

Saturday, November 29, 2008.
1-2 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 8136 West Bowles Ave, Littleton, CO 80123, (303) 948-9565

Saturday, December 6, 2008.
1-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 5835 Sky Pond Drive, Loveland, CO 80537; (970) 663-9473 (The Promenade Shops at Centerra)

Saturday, December 13, 2008.
1-4 p.m., Borders, Colorado Mills Mall, 14500 W. Colfax Ave., Lakewood, CO 80401; (303) 277-9101

Sunday, December 14, 2008.
1-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 1565 Briargate, Colordo Springs, CO 80920; (719) 266-9960. UPDATE: CANCELLED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER. RESCHEDULED FOR 12/27/08.

Saturday, December 20, 2008.
1-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 6300 Main Street (E-470 & Smokey Hill Road), Aurora, CO 80016; (303) 766-3069.

Saturday, December 27, 2008.
1-4 p.m., Barnes & Noble, 1565 Briargate, Colordo Springs, CO 80920; (719) 266-9960

IMMORTAL LAWS - Book Reviews

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ANCIENT BLOODLINES GET TRACED TO MODERN TIMES?

The 6th Laws thriller, Immortal Laws, is coming September 15, 2008! Find out why New Mystery Reader Magazine says, "this is one of the best thrillers I've read yet."

Immortal Laws
ISBN 9780976924358
© Jim Michael Hansen
Dark Sky Publishing, Inc.
Trade Paperback
412 pages
$13.95 USA
September 15, 2008

Back Cover Copy. Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry is thrust into his most bizarre, terrifying and twisted case yet as he hunts for the killer of a woman who was murdered with a wooden stake through her heart as if she was a vampire. Meanwhile, beautiful young blues singer Heather Vaughn learns that she has been targeted for a similar death. She frantically searches for answers, not only to save her life but also to find out whether dormant genes from an ancient past are buried inside her. As time runs out, both she and Coventry find themselves swept deeper and deeper into the throes of a modern-day thriller born of ancient and deadly obsessions.

HERE'S WHAT THE REVIEWERS ARE SAYING ABOUT IMMORTAL LAWS

"Vampires, murders, and sex (oh my). These titillating elements commingle in Hansen’s latest thriller starring Denver detective Bryson Coventry, a randy fellow who spends almost as much time bedding potential witnesses as he does investigating cases. Coventry’s current probe involves the murder of a young woman by a wooden stake through the heart, and little does he know that his latest sexual conquest, a Jamaican beauty named London, has come to Denver to warn blues singer Heather Vaughan that she might be the next victim. Apparently, what Heather and the victim have in common is that they both descend from vampires—that is, from people who were killed ages ago for the belief that they were vampires. Could London really believe that descendants of these unfortunate victims possess powers beyond the realm of human ability? And who could be wanting to see these descendants dead? London is the link that brings Coventry into this dark world, as Heather becomes the pawn in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. Way creepy, a little tawdry, but boatloads of fun."
--Booklist (September 1, 2008 edition)

"Review: Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry investigates two separate cases, the disappearance of a local television reporter and the vampire-style murder of woman, a wooden stake driven through her heart, in Immortal Laws, the sixth thriller in this series by Jim Michael Hansen.

After spending an evening out on the town with Bryson, Jena Vernon disappears from her home without a trace. Though Bryson is not a suspect in her disappearance, he is a person of interest and therefore prohibited from officially investigating her high-profile case. That doesn't stop him from unofficially pursuing clues that lead him to similar unsolved cases in other parts of the country where the missing woman was later found murdered. He believes he's in a race against time to prevent the same for Jena. The case to which he has been officially assigned is most bizarre: a woman has been found murdered with a wooden stake embedded in her chest. He doesn't necessarily believe in the existence of vampires himself, but knows all too well that others may and sets out to find this self-styled vampire slayer before anyone else loses their life.

The large cast of characters in Immortal Laws is effectively managed by having them appear, for the most part independently, in accounts from three points of view: that of Bryson, a purported vampire Heather Vaughn, and the vampire slayer Trent Tibadeau. It should be noted that the vampires depicted in this novel are not the stereotypical characters from legend and film; they are fairly typical, everyday human beings who happen to be blood descendants from people considered to be immortal vampires in their day. In a rather oddly compelling way, that the author chooses to represent them as relatively "normal" makes them all the more unusual.

Of the three narratives, that of Bryson's unofficial investigation of the missing reporter is in many ways, and certainly somewhat ironically given he's the series character, the least interesting. A sense of danger or urgency is never established and even though it is presumed that the storylines will intersect at some point, Bryson's unofficial case remains essentially orthogonal to the others up to the final pages and even then never seems fully integrated into the story. His murder investigation is also weakly delivered and is clearly secondary to his search for Jena.

Of far more interest are the narratives of Heather and Trent. These are well-rounded, nuanced, captivating characters that inexorably draw the reader into their spheres. Each takes a cat-and-mouse approach to the other, with their suspense-filled pathways culminating in a climatic encounter, the outcome of which cannot be foreseen. A couple of seemingly minor and tangential subplots and a disappointing final "twist" are all that mar the courses these characters take.

There are many reasons to recommend this book, but in the end, the intriguing, most unusual plot of Immortal Laws is what makes it a worthy addition to this fine series." Mysterious Reviews.

"After reading his latest, it’s clear that Hansen is a writer at the top of his game.Vampires and Bryson Coventry, who could ask for anything more? A might-be vampire is followed by another and warned that “slayers” are after her because she is a bloodline descendant of a vampire. Bryson at the same time, in a different location, is trying recover from the image of a woman’s body with a wooden stake driven through her heart. Bryson and the might-be vampires soon meet and get caught up in a series of unspeakable murders. l can’t wait to recommend the latest book in this continuing series to my friends."
-- Andra Tracy, Book Reviewer, Out Word Bound Books, Indianapolis, IN


"IMMORTAL LAWS is the sixth book in the LAWS series by Jim Michael Hansen. In this latest edition Hansen dives head first into the supernatural and Coventry faces unusual antagonists in the form of vampires? But this is not a horror novel, but rather a well written story with elements of the supernatural and crime mystery expertly woven into a first rate thriller.

The series continues with Bryson Coventry and his elite Denver Homicide unit investigating a surreal case of a murder victim stabbed through the heart with a wooden stake. When another victim is identified with the same MO, Coventry is not sure what direction to take. Meanwhile, his personal life is being pulled in two opposite directions. On one hand he meets the woman of his dream (again?) and his torn with guilt over the disappearance of a close high school friend, Jena Vernon, who wants to make more of their casual relationship. He now must solve both of these cases, even if he is considered a suspect in one of them.

What is different in this episode of the series is that Hansen has chosen not to have an attorney be the co-lead of the story. Instead we meet Heather Vaughn, an up and coming jazz singer who stirs up the ghost of Billie Holiday and who is now dealing with the information from a stranger that her life is in danger because she has a direct bloodline connection to an infamous vampire. As Coventry’s investigation moves forward, Vaughn may somehow be connected to other dead women. The Slayers, the men who are hunting down and trying to kill these bloodline descendent vampires, are one of Hansen’s more interesting characters. Many red herrings are thrown the reader’s way and add tension to the story line.

After six editions to the series, Hansen carefully manages to keep his stories interesting and enjoyable. In each story we learn a different side to Coventry that makes him more lifelike and likable.

IMMORTAL LAWS is a fascinating blend of multiple genres. For those who think that this is a horror novel will find that Hansen is a master of the thriller form. I would suggest reading this novel during the daylight hours with a garlic necklace on. However, once you start, you will be reading long into the night. Like Coventry, bring some coffee to keep you company."
--Aldo T. Calcagno, Mystery Dawg (http://acalcagno.blogspot.com), for Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine, www.fmam.biz


"Bryson Coventry is back. The Detective in charge of the homicide unit for the Denver Police has found the most beautiful woman he has ever met–again–and he wants her badly. Problem is she is a vampire?

Okay, you say how can a thriller writer – not a horror writer – actually take his main character, throw him into story about immortality and bloodsucking and pull it off? How will this play out? Surprisingly it plays out very well.

Coventry and his partner Shalifa Netherwood have been assigned to a bizarre case. A young woman has been found murdered in an abandoned Denver warehouse, a stake driven through her heart.

Not only is this bizarre, but when another body turns up murdered in the same way, clues and leads begin to spin counterclockwise for Coventry. Not much makes sense, but he stays on the trail. There is an undercurrent to the murders, but he cannot put his finger on it. When an old female friend from high school disappears, and the investigation points to her as being the next victim, Coventry revs the investigation into high gear.

A novel such as this, with a plot that uses fictional characters, I mean vampires, is not something that I would even pick up from the bargain table at the book store. That decision would be my mistake. This is the first book I have read that uses these two disparate genres and blends them together into a very entertaining story. The hero gets the girl, repeatedly as usual, wants to marry her, as usual, fortunately for us, she has other ideas.

Jim Michael Hansen uses this bizarre storyline to drag you into the world of vampires, bloodsucking, and of course lewd and lascivious sex. All of which (Hansen has made this his style) is surprisingly tasteful in a story in which the writer could easily go overboard.

Armchair Interviews Says: Not a horror novel, Immortal Laws is a thriller and a pretty darn good one at that." --Jeff Foster, Armchair Interviews

"Dark nights and fierce thunderstorms. Old legends of creatures that feed on the blood of the living. Yes, I am talking about vampires, those immortal beings that only come out at night. The only way to kill them is by driving a wooden stake through their hearts. Such are the tales saved for books and old movies.

That is until Denver Detective Bryson Coventry is faced with a murder whose victim has a wooden stake driven through their heart. The Detective has no leads until he finds out that the exact same type of murder took place in Paris not too long before his victim was found in Denver. Now Coventry feels like he is getting somewhere. Then one of his old high school friends – who is a t.v. journalist – is kidnapped. And he is the prime suspect in her disappearance.

Then there is Heather Vaughn. Vampires have stepped out of legend and into her life. One stormy night, an intoxicatingly beautiful woman named London tells Heather that she is part of a vampire blood-line, and that vampire “slayers” are after her. Heather really isn’t sure she believes this, until not long after meeting London, she is attacked in her own home and forced to kill one of the slayers. Now Heather realizes she has a target on her back, and she must immerse herself into the world of vampires to save her life.

This is the first time that Jim Michael Hanson has written one of his “Laws” books where one of the main characters was not a lawyer. I think Mr. Hanson did a great job on his sixth novel. (Even making an Alfred Hitchcock-like cameo within its pages.) This story was captivating, erotic and humorous at times. I find a great adventure each time I delve into the world of Detective Bryson Coventry."
--Kathy Martin, In the Library Reviews


*** "Jim Michael Hansen has taken this sixth book, Immortal Laws, to a whole new level. His ability to take the edge-of-the-seat suspense and give it the spine-tingling tension and compelling intrigue it deserves is just a small part of his talent. The rest is perfect enjoyment that the reader gets immersed in page after thrilling page. His ingenuity as a writer keeps improving just like a fine wine." *** --Wanda Maynard, Simegen Reviews

"As I began reading the sixth book, Immortal Laws, in author Jim Hansen's series Laws , I truly wondered what would await me, what devious work, and evil players would I find; I have to say Mr. Hansen definitely surprised me. I would never have imagined I would be confronted by Vampires and wooden stakes, but that is how our brilliant author works, always keeping his work fresh and alive, even though all of her characters aren't. Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry, one of the main players in the Laws series, is called to investigate a young woman's death, murdered with a wooden stake driven in her heart, the scene is not a pretty one. As Coventry begins to investigate he finds out there are more deaths around the world done in the same fashion. The stakes begin to get high as Coventry's friend, TV personality Jena Vernon is kidnapped and the race is on to save her life and the life of others. That is if Coventry can figure out the connection between them all; time is running out.

We meet Heather Vaughn who has something in common with the dead women. It seems Heather is a descendent of the vampire bloodline and someone is making it their business to hunt down these descendents and kill them, but why? However Heather is luckier than the other bloodline descendents as she has two body guards who seek her out, telling her the story of her heritage, the danger she is in, and offering their help as protectors. However, people and events are not always what they seem to be as you will find in this top-notch read. Try as you may you will definitely not be able see the end coming nor will you put your finger on who is behind all of these murders and why. As always, this novel is creepy, adventurous, mysterious and has all the ghoulish goodies you expect Mr. Hansen to feed you with; you won't be left hungry. I like the way our author brought in other parts of the world, in the USA and outside in the storyline, broaden the scope if you will, of the far reaches of evil that our modern means of travel allows. I also liked the personal touch he gave in this read of Coventry's concern for his friend Jena. Whether you are a die-hard Hansen fan, as I am, or just beginning to read his outstanding novels you won't be disappointed. Par for the course, this one will take you down some dark allies, around some winding bends, into some devious, sick minds and bring you out totally exhausted with the journey only to realize where you knew for sure the read would end up wasn't even close. Great read! Recommended to the highest! Well done Mr. Hansen!" --Shirley Johnson, Senior Reviewer, MidWest Book Review


"Do you believe in vampires and other dark-side beings? Talented author Jim Michael Hansen will keep you reading as you join homicide detective Bryson Coventry in a case guaranteed to have you sleeping with a light on. Vampires seem to have invaded his world.

A young singer is told by a woman from Jamaica that she is descended from vampires and because of this, she is in danger from a group called the Slayers. It calls for courage to stay and face the killers. Will she be able to do it or will she become a victim or will she run?

Bryson Coventry must deal with a new type of killer when a victim is found with a stake through her heart. Was she a vampire or was her killer just adding his own twist to murder?

Coventry's investigation bring him into contact with the Jamaican woman and he feels drawn to her. Can he separate his emotion from his hunt for the murderer as she plays more than one role in this well told tale?

Talented author Jim Michael Hansen will have you wanting to tell people not do go down that dark street, to avoid going out at night. And you will willingly follow them into those dark streets just to see what happens. Just be careful and consider wearing a garlic necklace to keep vampires away.

This is a tale that will have you rechecking your windows at night and looking over your shoulder for those mysterious fliers with fangs. Guaranteed to keep you reading, this is one of the best thrillers I've read yet. A different type of thriller deftly laced with horror that will have you looking for Mr. Hansen's other books.

Enjoy. I certainly did."

--Anne K. Edwards, New Mystery Reader Magazine

"IMMORTAL LAWS by Jim Hansen: (2008 Release) Blues singer Heather Vaughn has the same bloodlines as a young woman who is found with a wooden stake driven through her heart – both are descended from men who were reputed to be vampires. In this, his sixth outing, coffee drinking serial womanizing Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry is under suspicion because of the disappearance of childhood friend Jena Vernon, now a local television news reporter, last seen with Coventry. Heather is trying to stay alive while helping to find a group of slayers that appear to be roaming the world to eradicate vampire descendents. Coventry doesn’t believe in ghosts, or vampires, or werewolves, or any of that stuff, but he does believe in himself “Just because I don’t know what I’m doing doesn’t mean I’m wrong.” Another solid police procedural with only a touch of “woo-woo”, that doesn’t interfere at all with the action in this modern-day thriller rooted in ancient and deadly rites. All in all, another very satisfying read." --Jack Quick, Bookbitch Reviews

BANGKOK LAWS - Book Reviews.

The fifth book in the Laws series, Bangkok Laws, was released on March 15, 2008 and is now available. Be prepared to ascend to a whole new level of excitement.

Bangkok Laws
ISBN 0976924315
Jim Michael Hansen
Dark Sky Publishing, Inc.
Original Trade Paperback (5.5 x 8.5)
425 Pages
$13.95 US
March 15, 2008

Back Cover Copy: As Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry finds himself entangled in the collateral damage of a killer who uses the entire world as his playground, newly licensed attorney Paige Alexander lands her very first case —a case that could possibly destroy the most powerful law firm in the world; a case involving a deadly, high-stakes international conspiracy of terrible proportions; a case that started in Bangkok but will not end there.

HERE'S WHAT THE REVIEWERS ARE SAYING SO FAR.

"Bangkok Laws is the fifth book in the Laws series featuring detective Bryson Coventry. Hansen is expert in delivering novels rich with suspense, leaning toward the dark side and exploring not just the law but the complexities of life and human nature.

This installment, like others in the series, is told from different distinctive POV including a brutal glimpse into the mind of a killer. Hansen does an excellent job with his villains, and in this book it is obvious they can come in all shapes and sizes. Various plots weave through the story, and though the reader knows all are connected, the pace and substance of the book keep the reader guessing up until the ultimate reveal.

In this installment, Coventry makes a promise to a dead woman, something he swore he would never do again; he can only imagine the convoluted intrigue he will be entering. Along with solving the death of the woman, Coventry must find her missing friend. Another woman dies in strange circumstances, and meanwhile Coventry finds himself falling in love.

Ja’von, Coventry’s new love interest, is almost improbably beautiful, and readers will be immediately suspicious of her placing herself in the way of Coventry. Paige Alexander is an attorney with no cases hired by Ja’von to take on a top law firm - an almost impossible task, but Paige is somewhat seduced by the glamorous Ja’von, who is at the heart of the story, though just in what way will remain to be seen.

The connections to Bangkok seem sketchy at first. A pilot arriving home from Bangkok is brutally stabbed, Ja’von claims to have been a victim of sex slavery in the Thai capital, and she wants justice. How does this relate to the deaths of the two women and the kidnapping of one, all of whom have no connection to Bangkok? Will Coventry work it out, or will Paige and Ja’von? Will they even survive what they get themselves into?

This book has it all: high-stakes international intrigue, a green attorney taking her first case, lots of falling in lust and love, the scent of corruption, and of course, cold-blooded murder. There is no question that Hansen writes suspense and drama very well. His bad guys are truly bad but totally believable. All the cast are shrewdly written and are individuals. The plot is cleverly written, and all the twists and turns take the reader on a roller coaster ride while showing them everything they need to know to solve the crimes and join the dots.

Yet while some claim this to be Hansen’s best to date I disagree. I reviewed Night Laws and found it superior to this outing. I find Coventry not nearly as well rounded in the novel. His falling in love with Ja’von so easily seems improbable, and his caffeine addiction seems to be taken to new heights with coffee mentioned more times then I care to count. Even his interactions with other characters, while amusing at times, appear to take on a different tone. His partner, whom I identified in Night Laws as a strong character whom I had hoped to see develop, seems to be wasted here, being reduced to the woman he wonders about sleeping with if he did not work with her.

Still, I would not want to deter readers from the series. Hansen has an excellent writing style and many fans of this hard hitting series. I have not read every book myself and still intend to check them out.

I should make mention of the little joke Hansen has with his readers in this book (and I am not just talking about all the characters reading his books). Watch out for Hansen’s homage to Hitchcock and Coventry’s reaction, which is truly priceless." --Kellie Warner, Curled Up With a Good Book, www.curledup.com


"*** Returning is homicide detective Bryson Coventry, whose latest female conquest, Ja’Von, has the potential to become more than a mere sexual dalliance, in spite of the fact that she seems somehow to be connected to a twisted racket involving sex slaves in Bankok. Ja’Von, meanwhile, has hired newbie attorney Paige Alexander to take on Denver’s largest large firm to try to right an enormous wrong done to her. Paige, desperate to make a name for herself as a lawyer, takes on the case, intrigued by its David-and-Goliath proportions. Part of what makes this thriller thrilling is that you sense there to be connections among all the various subplots; the anticipation of their coming together keeps the pages turning at a deservedly quick clip. Not for the faint of heart, this one is recommended for those ready to endure its heartpounding, gory ride." --Booklist (February 15, 2008 edition)

"Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry investigates a number of seemingly unconnected crimes in Bangkok Laws, the fifth mystery in this series by Jim Michael Hansen.

The first crime, a murder, seems fairly routine, a man repeatedly stabbed in the back. Obviously a crime of passion, yet there are no suspects. Then a woman is killed, her neck broken, and left outside a home she was preparing to clean. Inexplicably, her roommate has disappeared. Then another woman, the daughter of a prominent television personality, vanishes. Though nothing connects any of these crimes together, Bryson begins to suspect that his new lady friend, Ja'Von Deveraux, is somehow involved. She has hired a recently licensed and inexperienced lawyer to sue the largest and most prestigious law firm in Denver, a legal mismatch if ever there was one. And then a common thread emerges: Bangkok.

Bangkok Laws alternates between three points of view: Bryson Coventry and his investigative team, Ja'Von and her lawyer Paige Alexander, and a contract killer named Dylan Joop. Since there are no obvious connections between them, it could be confusing to the reader exactly what's going on and why. Furthermore, the pace of the plot is relentless with never much time spent on one point of view before moving on to the next. Yet the author handles it all brilliantly with an amazingly deft touch. Improbable coincidences in another context seem perfectly reasonable here ... or at least credible. A suspense novel to be sure and there is some misdirection, but most readers will no doubt figure out well before the end how the various plot threads come together. This in no way, however, lessens this thrilling adventure.

In a nod to, and with respect for, Alfred Hitchcock, the author inserts himself in a scene or two, and titles of his books seem to appear on most of the character's bookshelves or nightstands at one point or another. This, like much of the rest of Bangkok Laws, is more clever than contrived and ultimately works as pure entertainment." --Lance Wright, Mysterious Reviews

"Pilot Ewing barely makes it back to the States from Bangkok when he is stabbed to death. At the same time a woman is following detective Coventry . He calls his partner for the 411 on the follower. He discovers her to be a PI. He stops at a bar. She follows him in. He motions for her to join him. She feigns that she needs to buff up her surveillance skills. As they sit there, he places his hand on her leg and she places it higher right when his phone goes off, a body. She asks if she might join her. Later that night they make love, and he falls for her. Ja’Von is her name.

In another part of town a new attorney unable to find work as such is waiting tables. When a tray falls dropping a ton of dishes nearly no one helps her untill a lady steps up. Paige warns the lady to be careful the pieces are sharp, but she says it with tears. Then she adds I shouldn’t be here. Where should you be? Asks Ja’Von. Being an attorney, says Paige. Ja’Von says then I have a job for you. Later she tells an incredible tale of sexual slavery in Bangkok and how she escaped, barely. She continues with how she had been set up by a law firm in Denver and she wants to sue them. Paige says fine and the games begin.

In the meantime, a young woman, with Merry Maids is kidnapped.

As Coventry and JaVon’s relationship blossoms, more deaths occur. Paige is almost murdered and random acts may not be random. Is everything connected to the slavery ring in Bangkok ? Is there something more going on? Who is pulling the strings?

Jim Michael Hansen has written another book in his “Laws” series. Bangkok Laws is a fast paced thriller. It keeps you on the edge of your seat. It is a long book but I read it one sitting because I had to know what was going on and who was doing what to who. There are many characters and when you first begin the book it is a little rough to follow but before long you are up and running with all the players. I enjoyed the book however I was a little disappointed in the ending. It was more of a wrap up rather than a play out. That being said, it was an excellent read!
On a scale of 1 to 5, I give it a 4.7."
--Cynthia Lea Clark, Psy.D., Futures Mystery Anthology Magazine

"There’s no other way to say it, I’m hooked on Bryson Coventry and the man who brought him to life. Hansen’s characters change with each story and are so full of life and so vivid that unfortunately, I can never put one down until it’s finished. This story deals with Bangkok white slavery and a mega law firm. As usual, Coventry is working on more than one case and they begin to collide as the body count rises. Naturally it wouldn’t be truly Coventry if he didn’t have a string of females at his beck and call but maybe Ja’Von will be different and the start of a long romance. No matter how it plays out, Hansen continues to be the best and I’ll continue to recommend him to all my friends." --Andra Tracy, Out Word Bound Books, Indianapolis, IN

"*** BANGKOK LAWS is another excellent mystery and I find myself amazed at both how quickly the author can write and how he's yet to hit that dreaded "sophomore slump." Few authors can handle what Jim Hansen has managed--this is his fifth novel and he's still "wowing" his readers." --Tracy Farnsworth, Roundtable Reviews

"In BANGKOK LAWS Jim Hansen has once again challenged his protagonist to new heights. BANGKOK LAWS is the 5th book in the highly regarded LAWS series and the best to date. *** BANGKOK LAWS is Hansen’s best effort to date. It is white knuckle page turner of a novel that keeps you glued to the page and with paper cuts on your fingers. If this is the first book that you read in the series, you will not be disappointed. Hansen masterfully weaves the elements of suspense, sexual tension, retaliation and horror so well that you are unaware that a few hours have past and your done with the book. Bryson Coventry is one of the best characters in modern thriller/detective fiction in the last five years." --Aldo Calcago (Mystery Dawg) for Future Mystery Anthologies Magazine, FMAM.biz.

"*** From the seedy sex dens of Bangkok to the crystal clear skies of Denver, Jim Michael Hansen takes you on a voyage into a very dark world of sexual slavery, and ultimately, cold-blooded murder. *** Jim Michael Hansen has a unique ability to tempt the reader with a trail of crumbs that ultimately sucks you into the spellbinding vortex he has created in Bangkok Laws. You will turn the pages so fast your fingers will bleed. Not since Stephen King have I read an author that has the ability to reach the deepest recesses of the criminal mind. Spooky.

Armchair Interviews says: A very complex and realistically brutal plot, it might have been ripped from the headlines of the Denver Post!" --Jeff Foster, Armchair Interviews

"*** You will find a storyline that is probably more real-to-life than you care to imagine, strong believable characters, both hideous and lovable, and a knock-out conclusion, that trust me, you definitely will never see coming. Another top-of-the-line winner for Mr. Hansen and one you do not want to miss.
--Shirley Johnson, Senior Reviewer, MidWest Book Review

"*** Jim Michael Hansen is about to unleash another electrifying laws book that will keep you, the reader, turning page after spine-chilling page to see what lies around the next curve. So get ready to follow Coventry through a never-ending roller coaster ride of events that will lead through a fantastical situation, along with the beautiful women who are involved up to their necks."
--Wanda Maynard, Simegen

"*** Avid readers have their favorite authors and this one has become one of mine. The style of each book is the same, but the plot twists and turns are uniquely different from one another. This is the fifth book in the series and the luster is still there.

Bryson Conventry is just as interesting now as he was in “Night Laws” – Hansen’s first book. Especially the women he meets. They just seem to get more beautiful with each new story. The characters that surround Bryson have not lost their luster either. They all come off the pages as living, breathing people.

The best part of Hansen’s writing is that I get dropped into the depths of the story within two or three pages. As with most of the series, I started and finished this book in one sitting.

I whole-heartedly recommend reading “Bangkok Laws.” It is great, whether or not a person has read the other “Laws” books." --Kathy Martin, In the Library Reviews


"Thirty four year old Bryson Coventry, head of Denver’s homicide unit and serial womanizer, has survived four previous outings but this one may be his undoing, as he becomes involved in the collateral damage of a global killer. Newly licensed attorney Paige Alexander is employed on her very first case. It involves a deadly high-stakes international conspiracy that first manifested itself in Bangkok and will end who knows where. The connection between Alexander and Coventry is San Francisco private investigator Ja’Von Deveraux who combines a lifeguard’s body with movie star features. Deveraux has survived a terrible experience and is now looking for revenge. She enlists Alexander to help her and then Coventry. Not for the weak hearted but full of action and coffee drinking, crime solving Coventry and his cast of cohorts continue to evolve with each outing. Rough as the Rockies, but also refreshing. Can’t wait for the next in the series." --Jack Quick, Bookbitch Reviews

"*** Highly recommended as a tale you will have to finish once you begin to read. Talented author Jim Michael Hansen has woven a fascinating plot from several subplots to satisfy even the pickiest thriller fan. Action aplenty with false trails and red herrings to draw the reader into dead ends and keep us trying to out guess the villains who do what they do sooo well. A book guaranteed to hold your attention and provide you with reading satisfaction. Enjoy. I sure did. (But a warning to the girls, don't travel to Bangkok unescorted.)"
--Anne K. Edwards, New Mystery Reader Magazine

"*** BANGKOK LAWS is a superior thriller that showcases the talent of one of the genre’s better authors." --Harriet Klausner, Genre Go Round Reviews. Full review here.